Ch.9191. The One Who Stands Out

I already know what’s going to happen during the practical training. They think it’s just for second and third-year students, but it actually includes us first-years too.

It’s a judgment battle that takes advantage of the fact that first-years can’t enter the water.

I deliberately approached Kim Dohyun’s group.

“What is it, Do Jonghyun? Got something to say?”

This blonde, tanned punk looks at me with a surprised expression.

“Will the class really end like this?”

“What?”

“It’s an elective for second and third-years, but it’s in the water. Wouldn’t we get better scores if we did something more from outside?”

“That’s not our concern, is it? Jump in clumsily and you’ll get burned. The seniors might be less skilled than me, but if we interfere and mess things up, we can’t handle the consequences.”

He’s right. But this is something we can do too.

“Even just cheering them on would be fine. Or is there a rule against providing help from outside?”

“You’re making too many assumptions. Now that I look at you, you’re quite a dangerous guy.”

Kim Dohyun was puzzled but immediately stood up.

“Fine. Would cheering help anything? If it raises our scores, I’m all for it.”

Then Kim Dohyun looked around.

“That’s strange. Why are so many instructors watching us first-years?”

There must be over a dozen of them keeping an eye on us. It makes sense—our movements are also part of the evaluation.

Now the seniors who’ve formed their own groups are starting to enter the water under the instructors’ guidance.

Drones are filming underwater too. Since it’s a swamp, it would be hard to see with the naked eye under normal conditions.

Instructors and team members begin entering the water one by one between the lotus flowers.

By the way, as I mentioned, this swamp is wider than Lake Baikal. In other words, it’s large enough for everyone to enter without issue.

“Eight people per team.”

They’ve formed large teams, and at least one instructor follows each group.

Well, that’s probably the best approach. Everyone must be much more cautious than before.

Eventually, on the screen, we could see them hunting monsters one by one under the instructors’ guidance.

But compared to land combat, it looked rather clumsy.

Especially seniors like Kim Dohyun who use fire-related abilities were struggling with their flames going out underwater.

As a result, they missed attack timings, allowing lizardmen to successfully counterattack.

“They should have put up a barrier there. Seriously, with eight people…”

Kim Dohyun sounds disappointed, but there’s nothing to be done. They can’t communicate.

Underwater specialists could communicate, but these eight are all different, and in real combat, everyone inevitably faces challenges.

The instructors were immediately sending up those who got injured.

However, not everyone was struggling—some Jaegers were flying around.

“Look at that! Senior Baek Sojin is just flying around!”

Third-year Baek Sojin and second-year Lee Seona were freely flying underwater.

They could maneuver and attack freely because their summoned spirits were familiar with water.

I deliberately took Kim Dohyun to a high point where we could see where the incident would occur.

Underwater, they were doing what they’d learned amid the confusion—taking turns to supply oxygen, bringing air bubbles for others to breathe.

About 10 minutes later, screams began to be heard.

This was the beginning. Beyond the screams, monsters would appear, and underwater, an A-rank monster—a giant water scorpion—would emerge.

I watched the instructors’ reactions.

Without showing any sign of surprise, they all kept their eyes on us.

I shouted loudly.

“Monsters! Monsters! Kim Dohyun! Get ready for battle! Just like we learned for emergencies.”

“Huh? What?”

Looking slightly dazed, Kim Dohyun hurriedly began releasing his magical power.

Monsters suddenly started appearing in large numbers, targeting the students from behind.

They weren’t even being kind enough to ambush from a distance.

Deliberately so.

I first checked for monsters coming from afar rather than those nearby.

“There’s a B-rank elk back there, Kim Dohyun. Can you target it?”

“What about the ones coming closer?”

“They’re weak. We need to deal with the stronger ones first. This place is going to turn into a melee.”

Footsteps could be heard from all directions. The sudden special training had begun.

Indeed, this was semi-forced training designed to put us all in a sudden crisis situation.

The instructors’ scheme.

From now on, the instructors would move to handle the S-rank monsters at minimum.

“Everyone gather together and fight back!”

They kindly guide us and then each depart to face the strongest monsters.

The rest are mostly lower-ranked monsters in large numbers.

The same is happening underwater—another monster will appear to harass the second and third-years. Against the water scorpion…

But in front of my eyes, a giant whale was rapidly surfacing.

??????????

“A whale?”

After slamming an E-rank monster to the ground, I looked at the whale again.

It should be a water scorpion, so why a whale? A massive whale resembling a blue whale had just surfaced and spouted a huge column of water.

Why not a water scorpion?

No, the future must have changed. The instructors don’t seem surprised.

Kim Dohyun was using his flames to block the advance.

Then he shouted at me.

“Is this the right thing to do right now?”

“That’s exactly it! So others can move!”

Kim Dohyun’s ability wasn’t enough for the entire Lake Baikal, but he started creating a wall of fire around where the first-years had gathered.

The flames rotated like carriage wheels, burning everything that approached.

This bought time for our side to gather.

But everyone was still in disarray.

“Gather up! Groups of four or eight, it doesn’t matter—just gather and fight back!”

I shouted, but being first-years, even the advanced class students were panicking.

Just then, I saw Min Kangsu running in front of me.

He was impressively facing a C-rank armored lizard.

Min Kangsu definitely can’t win against that.

It’s a C-rank, not even a D-rank! But following Yu Deokmin, Min Kangsu performed a miracle.

He was actually pushing back the armored lizard with pure strength.

He began fighting fiercely in a direct contest of power.

What’s going on? What’s with Min Kangsu? His abilities couldn’t have suddenly increased.

I even sparred with Min Kangsu recently, so I know well. At best, he’s good at E-rank level? How can he take down a C-rank? Did someone buff him?

But even with buffs, how could he grow like that?

It’s suspicious. Strange. Two people showing such dramatic power increases.

Meanwhile, Yu Deokmin defeated the armored lizard and shouted:

“Gather over here! We need to work together! Give me some buffs!”

While I was puzzled, something whooshed past me quickly.

“Do Jonghyun. Pay attention!”

Ariel came to my side and took down a C-rank armored warrior impaled on her sword.

Then suddenly the monsters started fighting each other.

This must be Seol Yuhwa’s doing.

At that moment, a shield blocked my view.

Han Minwoo absorbed an attack that came flying at me.

“What’s going on? Everyone’s suddenly gathering?”

Koo Sangheon sliced through a B-rank poison butterfly in one stroke and joined us as well.

Naturally, all the members of our previous group flocked together.

This is better. And even someone I didn’t know personally.

“Do Jonghyun, hello?”

I felt arms around me from behind and saw a girl with unusually long eyelashes.

“Yu Jia?”

“You know my name? Did Ariel tell you?”

Yu Jia, Ariel’s friend. This is the first time we’ve met face to face.

“So Ariel went straight to see you? What’s your relationship?”

“We don’t have any relationship! Yu Jia, stop talking nonsense and fight!”

Hearing Ariel shout from behind, Yu Jia shrugged her shoulders.

“So dishonest… Alright, I’m going!”

We started fighting back as a group. But what should we do about that whale?

That’s for the second and third-years to handle.

Besides, I’ve never seen that whale before. It resembles a humpback whale, but most of that type are high-ranked and usually carry armor or cannons as special individuals.

But this one is fighting with just its bare body. No, this isn’t the time for that.

“Seol Yuhwa! Can you make those oil goblins kill each other?”

“I can. They’re D-rank though. Can I ask why?”

“It’s fine. We have our fire mage.”

“Ah, right.”

When Seol Yuhwa attacked the oil goblins with Brisingamen, oil moved everywhere.

As soon as Kim Dohyun ignited it with flames, Koo Sangheon jumped in.

“Let me borrow some magic power!”

After absorbing this magic power, Koo Sangheon called Han Minwoo over.

After absorbing it as well, their shield and sword caused explosions when swung.

Yu Jia approached, holding a monster’s head.

“Impressive. Did you predict that too?”

“…Not quite.”

I was just planning to use Kim Dohyun’s explosion, but they utilized it on their own.

Thanks to quickly establishing a center, other strong fighters like Dominic and Gabriel were gaining the upper hand against the monsters.

Like this, the land battle was going well as we fought together effectively.

Kim Dohyun was finishing things off with a spectacular display of fire.

My gaze turned back to the water.

I could see instructors rescuing students.

For reference, there’s no physical damage.

That’s how it’s set up. The current situation uses holograms and magic power to create a reality that seems real.

Everyone just thinks they’re being hurt.

But underwater, In Yeseul and Ko Jiyun were still leading the fight.

Now only about ten second and third-years remained.

The whale wasn’t doing anything special, just moving around with its massive body.

And occasionally ramming into things. Its size sent nearby seniors flying whenever it moved.

“First-years, stop all actions! The test is over.”

Now the instructor reveals the truth about this test.

Naturally, complaints pour in from everywhere.

“What is this suddenly? This is cheating!”

“You test us like this?”

But the instructors were firm.

“We can’t tell you in advance about crisis response abilities. If this had been a real situation, you would have died! How many attacks do you think the academy has experienced?”

Yeah, that’s how it would be. I carefully observed the enemy’s movements underwater.

That thing moving around like a Möbius strip is an SS-rank cannon whale type. It’s impossible for academy students to defeat an SS-rank.

If that’s not possible, we should be looking at a B-rank at minimum.

If they left it catchable, that is.

But I think my judgment that it’s more likely A-rank than B-rank is correct.

The original regression test also featured an A-rank monster.

The academy is showcasing an appropriately downgraded monster.

[The cannon whale is famous for swimming through the air, crazy durability, and attack power. It has no special techniques—it’s a type that puts everything into physical power. You need to detect the Möbius strip path it follows and attack.]

I saw Senior Ko Jiyun being bounced away. The monster moves along that Möbius strip path.

If you attack from behind, the whale emits shockwaves from its tail to block.

The opportunity is to stab its flank—not from the outside of the attack route strip, but from the inside.

I want to convey this, but I can’t enter the water.

“Seol Yuhwa. Have you ever controlled enemies underwater?”

“No. I haven’t had many cases like that… Why? Don’t tell me you want to move it.”

“Yes. I think we can help the seniors from outside the water.”

“If it comes out of the water, I could try, but I’m not sure.”

How to open it up?

I remembered how Koo Sangheon and Han Minwoo fought using Kim Dohyun’s power earlier.

Using that might provide some clue?

As I was pondering this, Ariel approached.

“Thinking of something strange, Do Jonghyun?”

“Strange is one way to put it.”

“Well, I’ll help. What are you trying to do?”

Ariel readily offers her assistance.

“The seniors keep failing to attack that whale and getting blocked. So we create an opening by launching a surprise attack from our side.”

“Oh my. But will that work easily?”

“Even if it’s not easy, we have to try. That’s how it is in any situation.”

I called Kim Dohyun and looked for one more person to play an important role.

Namely, the sidekicks. Using the eliminated second and third-year seniors.

“Senior Lee Jintae, Senior Jo Sangmin! Please help us.”

As I was bustling about, I felt a sharp gaze.

“Hmm?”

When I turned my head, drones were gathering around us.